Here are some of the headlines and stories you need to know from around the web this afternoon, Friday, May 11:
Terminator-like robots are coming to kill us all (Fox News)
Boston Dynamics, the company that freaked out the internet by creating a robotic dog that could open doors, has one-upped itself by creating humanoid robots that can run, jump, and avoid obstacles. I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.
President Trump introduces plan to combat rising prescription drug costs (CNBC)
President Donald Trump unveiled a plan on Friday to combat rising prescription drug prices. During a speech touting his plan, Trump promoted increased competition and improved negotiation leverage by insurers as effective means to reduce drug costs.
Scott Pruitt's trip to Rome not a taxpayer-funded boondoggle, after all (Washington Free Beacon)
Liberals have attacked EPA administrator Scott Pruitt's trip to Rome last summer, accusing him of wasting taxpayer money and doing no work. The Washington Free Beacon reports that an examination of Pruitt's schedule reveals that he was busy working with Vatican and other European officials and conferring on matters related to climate change. Oh, and by the way? Obama's EPA administrator Lisa Jackson also included the same summit at the beginning of her tenure, for roughly the same price tag, and liberals did not complain.
Democrats struggling to find a winning message for 2018 elections as economic conditions improve (RealClearPolitics)
With the economy improving and Trump's approval ratings inching upward, Democrats are privately fretting that they may have blown an opportunity to develop a coherent election strategy heading into the midterm elections.
Europe scrambles to respond to President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran deal (Reuters)
Many of Europe's largest companies have invested heavily in Iran since the Iran nuclear deal was signed. Now that the United States has withdrawn from the deal and threatened to sanction any European company that does business with Iran, Europe's leaders are scrambling to protect their companies' financial positions in the event that Trump follows through on his threat.
Police arrest 14-year-old in California school shooting (AFP)
One person has been reported injured and there were apparently no fatalities in the incident, which occurred in Palmdale, California. Police stated that they believed the shooter was acting alone and that the thread was quickly contained. Authorities have not yet released any details about the attacker, other than his age and his description as a "male Hispanic juvenile."
White House aide under fire for reportedly joking about John McCain (BBC)
Multiple reports indicate that Special Assistant to the President Kelly Sadler shocked other White House staffers by joking about Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain. Sadler reportedly dismissed McCain's opposition to Gina Haspel's nomination as CIA director by saying that it "doesn't matter" because "he's dying anyway." McCain and his family have called on Sadler to resign — or, failing that, for Trump to fire her.
